The Less We Say About it the Better
by manual84
Summary: There is nothing extraordinary about this night.


Author's Note - This came out of nowhere. My wheels were turning and I decided not to ignore them. Comments, thoughts, questions, etc. appreciated.

Disclaimer - I wish I owned them, but _Bones_ is not mine.

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There is nothing extraordinary about this night.

They have finished a case. They are feeling satisfied, content, relieved. She is at his apartment, and they are sharing a beer, and a moment, as they so often do. It is no more different and no more the same than so many other moments.

He is making her laugh and her laughter is making him smile. It is comfortable, and easy.

She thinks _she has never been closer to any person in her entire life._

He thinks _he cannot envision a future that is not entwined with hers, nor does he want to._

They do not share these thoughts with each other, instead they continue to talk of idle things—maybe the case, or some arbitrary news story he has brought up, only to debate with her. Maybe they are talking about Parker or her father. It doesn't really matter what they are discussing because their smiles are mirror images and their thoughts are the same, but not the same, and together, but not together. Like them.

And then the talking stops, and Brennan knows she is tired, and it is because of the alcohol and that feeling at the end of the case, and because Booth's apartment is warm and comfortable and she feels safe. But she cannot muster the energy to gather herself and leave. She begins to pick at the label on her beer, and he notices immediately (and really, how could he not notice, when every one of his senses is tuned to her?) and he looks at her face, her beautiful, ethereal face, and he knows that her wheels are turning and she is sorting through her thoughts and piecing things together, like she does a case, a body, a problem to be resolved. But he says nothing, he simply waits for her, and they remain in comfortable silence, while she thinks and he waits.

"Booth…" She says his name reluctantly and stares at her hands. He recognizes that whatever it is she wants to talk about, it is not easy for her.

So he waits.

He reaches his hand across the sofa, and grabs hers, quietly, and begins to trace circles on her palm with his thumb, his gaze never leaving her, waiting for her to meet his eyes, patiently providing her the reassurance that he is there.

"Do you remember… do you remember the conversation about the line?" She says this quickly, exhaling as she does, and looks instantly relieved as she raises her head to look at him.

He does not look away and he says nothing at first. But then he smiles and nods. He remembers (because really, how could he forget that pivotal moment? That moment of so many moments).

"Yes. I do."

"I… I don't want that line to exist anymore. I think that… that it is too rational."

He is shocked by this. She thinks the line is too rational? He begins to chuckle, and as he takes a tighter grip on her hand he says,

"Gee Bones, something is too rational for you, huh?"

And she returns his smile, appreciative of the joke, but now it is she who waits for him. And now she studies him, as he looks down to stare at their joined hands. He looks contemplative, immersed in his thoughts and memories, the smile vanished from his face. For a moment she is nervous, afraid that her bold statement is too much, is not right, that she has said the wrong thing. But then a small grin appears at the corner of his mouth, something slight and sweet, and the feeling of comfort rushes back into her, oozes through her and before he says anything she just knows right then and there it is all going to be okay.

"Me neither."

And with that, he tugs her hand to his heart, and pulls her to him, in a warm, deep embrace, and he strokes her back as her eyes flutter closed and she sighs against him.

She says "I have never been closer to any person in my entire life."

He says "I cannot envision a future that is not entwined with yours, nor do I want to."

And then they are kissing each other, breathing each other, sharing each other, giving each other.

And it is extraordinary.


End file.
